Plastic bag



May 3, 1966 Filed July 6, 1964 F. DOLLHEIMER ETAL PLASTIC BAG 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. FRANZ DOLLHEIMER WILLIAM m cANoLsss BY 3 WATTORN EYS y 1966 F. DOLLHEIMER ETAL 3,249,285

PLASTIC BAG Filed July 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR.

3'2. FRA DOLLHEI MER BY WI LLl WCANDFESS 37 FIG. 7 4/ United StatesPatent 3,249,285 PLASTIC BAG Franz Dollheimer, Valdosta, Ga., andWilliam Mc- Candless, Toledo, Ohio, assiguors to Owens-Illinois GlassCompany, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,243 4Claims. (Cl. 229-53) This invention relates to a method of producing abag from thermoplastic material which bag has an integral hand-holdingportion.

More particularly, this invention relates to a method of forming a bagwherein the bag is formed of a thermoplastic material and hand-grippingportions are formed integral with the bag.

This invention also relates to a plastic bag having an integrally formedcarrying means.

It has been the practice in the past to form heat sealed thermoplasticbags of the type used for packaging, for example, fertilizer, withouthandles or with a handle which is separate and is joined to the bag. Itnecessarily requires additional effort to assemble the bag and handle inproper position to insure that the heat seal of the bag will also sealthe handle onto the bag.

Also, due to the fact that the handle is normally of thicker materialthan the bag walls, heat sealing of the handle to the bag requiresadditional heat above that normally necessary to effect a seal. Thiscauses additional problems and slows the bag making process.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of this invention to providea method of forming a plastic bag having a portion of the bag extendingbeyond the heat sealed end thereof with holes or a hand-carrying slotformed in the material of the bag beyond the heat sealed area to providean integral carrying means for the bag.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a bag havingintegrally formed hand-holding portions therefor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a thermoplastic heatsealed bag having a particular seal pattern and finger inserting,perforated portions for providing easy carrying of the bag and contents.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second and preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the invention;and,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the invention.

With particular reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing, wherein the one endof the plastic bag of the invention is shown, the bag itself is formedfrom an open-ended, tubular, thermoplastic material 10 which is heatsealed at 11 in a line across the width of the bag. As can be seen whenviewing FIG. 1, the heat seal is applied approximately an inch and ahalf to two inches from the end of the tubular formation 10 from whichthe bag is to be made. A plurality of holes 12 are punched through theend portion below the seal 1-1. The holes 3,249,285 Patented May 3, 1966ICC 12 are of a size such that a persons fingers may be inserted thereinand in this manner a convenient carrying or lifting arrangement isprovided which is integral with the bag.

It has been applicants experience that the film from which the bag isformed has sufiicient strength to withstand carrying of the bag withoutadditional reinforcement. However, in situations where the contents ofthe bag may be somewhat heavier, the second and preferred embodiment ofthe invention, shown in FIG. 2, will provide added strength to thehand-holding portion of the bag.

In FIG. 2 the tubular thermoplastic material 10 has its end portion 13reversely folded so that the actual end 14 of the bag lies along theside of the bag at a point approximately an inch and a half to twoinches from the fold 415. In this embodiment the heat seal which extendsacross the width of the bag and is applied adjacent the end 14, sealsthe end of the tubular formation 10, as well as sealing the foldedportion to the side of the bag, as shown at 16. Again, holes 12 arepunched through the folded portion 13 of the bag, thus providing thehand-hold area having considerably additional carrying strength,inasmuch as four thicknesses of the thermoplastic material will now bearthe load during lifting of the bag when filled.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a further embodiment of the invention isdisclosed, wherein the tubular bag forming material 10 is heat sealedadjacent its end at 17 by a straight line seal. A generally V shapedheat seal 18 is also applied to the bag, thus isolating a triangulararea within the V. A plurality of holes 12 formed through the twothicknesses of the bag material are formed in the isolated area toprovide the hand-hold configuration for the bag. In this arrangement theforces developed on lifting occur generally normal to the seal line 8.

With reference to FIG. 4, a still further embodiment of the invention isdisclosed wherein the bag 10 is provided with a first heat seal 19extending across the width of the bag approximately two inches from theend of the bag. A cut-out slot 20 is formed through the area of the bagbetween the seal 19 and the end thereof, with the cut-out 20 being madesuch that portions 21 which would be normally cut out remain hinged toone side of the cut-out. This hinged portion 21 is folded down,- asshown in FIG. 4, and a second heat seal 22 extending across the width ofthe bag is also adapted to seal this portion 21 in its folded conditionto the bag, thus providing a somewhat thicker gripping portion for thebag.

As can readily be seen when viewing FIG. 4, the portion 211 which is cutout and then folded back may be folded in more than just two layers andcan be folded into as many layers as the width of the material permitsand still be able to be heat sealed to the bag by the seal 22.

FIG. 5 shows another method of providing a handgripping, handle portionfor a plastic bag. The bag 10 is of the same configuration as theprevious bags, with a first lateral heat seal 23 closing off the end ofthe bag with sufficient material remaining beyond the heat seal toprovide the hand-holding portion. In this particular embodiment fourtabs 24 are cut out of the bag material with a U-shaped cutter, leavingone end of the tabs 24 hinged to the edge of the hole. These tabs arethen folded into overlying relationship with respect to the end of thebag and two heat seals 25 and 26 formed across the bag tack these tabsto the bag construction itself, thus providing reinforcedfinger-gripping areas.

The previous embodiments have all related to placing of thehand-gripping portion toward the center of the bag end. FIG. 6 disclosesan embodiment of the invention in which the area provided with thehand-gripping means is located at the corner of the bag. In thisembodiment the bag 10 is provided with a heat seal 27 extendinglaterally across the width of the bag adjacent the end of the bag. Thecorner of the bag which is to serve as the hand-gripping portion isfolded upwardly with its corner toward the center of the bag. The foldline is at approximately 45, with the corner of the bag being folded upinto overlying relationship with respect to the bag. A second heat seal28 parallel to the fold line 29 is adapted to extend from the seal line27 to and through the edge of the bag and seals the folded up corner ofthe bag to the side of the bag. This then isolates the corner of the bagand in the isolated area 30, four holes 31 may be punched through thebag, thus providing a corner gripping portion which is reinforced by thedouble thickness of material. While FIG. 6 discloses the hand-holdingportion as being provided with punched holes 31, it should be equallyobvious that a single elongated slot with sufficient width and length toaccommodate the persons hand would be equally effective as ahand-gripping arrangement for the corner of the bag. The portion of thecorner of the bag which extends above the seal line 28 may be trimmedoff, as shown.

FIG. 7 shows another arrangement for providing gripping portions at thecorner of the bag. This involves a seal line 32 similar to the seal line27 mentioned above with respect to FIG. 6. A pair of heat seal lines 33and 34 extend from points intermediate the length of the seal line 32 tothe side or edge of the bag. These may extend at approximately 30-45angles with respect to the lower seal area 32, thus isolating the twocorners of the bag in the areas 35 and 36. Holes 37 are then punchedthrough the two thicknesses of material which are isolated at 35 and 36,thus providing an arrangement whereby the bag may be carried with twohands. It should be pointed out that while the embodiment of FIG. 7specifically shows two corner carrying arrangements, it should beobvious that a single corner could be formed in the same manner.Likewise, the embodiment of FIG. 6 could be made with duplicate cornerarrangements on both corners so as to provide a two-hand liftingarrangement for the bag.

It should be pointed out that in the explanation of the. invention setforth above and as defined in the claims, the term cut-out portionsmeans a portion of the bag material is removed. The specific method orapparatus used for forming the cut-out portions may take many forms. Asa further example, it is feasible to use the well known hot wiretechnique for successfully forming the cut-out portions. One addedbenefit from using the hot wire technique would be that the edges of thecutouts would be heat sealed and result in forming holes through plurallayers of material in which the layers would be joined together at theperiphery of the hole.

Various modifications may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims,

We claim:

1. A plastic bag having an integral hand carrying portion comprising aflattened tubular plastic member, a heat seal extending across the endofthe member and adjacent an end thereof, and hand-holding cut-outs'formedthrough the flattened member in the areas between the seal and the areathereof with the portion cut-out being hinged to the edge of the cut-outportion being reversely folded into overlying relationship with the endof the bag and a second heat seal, sealing the hinged, cut-out portionto the end of the bag.

2. A plastic bag having an integral hand carrying portion comprising aflattened tubular plastic member having a free edge portion thereoffolded back into overlying relationship with another portion of theflattened tubular plastic member, a heat seal extending across the widthof said member and sealing the folded back portion to the overlyingportion, and hand-holding cut-outs formed through the folded backportion and the underlying poitions of the flattened member in the areabetween the seal and the fold.

3. A plastic bag having an integral hand-carrying portion comprising, aflattened, tubular plastic member, a first heat seal extending acrossand closing one end of said member, a second heat seal joined to thefirst seal and extending at an acute angle to the first seal, saidsecond seal isolating a triangular area of one corner of said bag, athird heat seal extending at an acute angle from the first seal andforming a second isolated area in the other corner of said bag, andhand-gripping means formed in each of said isolated areas whereby a bagis formed having two hand-gripping portions.

4. A plastic bag having an integral hand-carrying portion comprising, aflattened, tubular plastic member, a first heat seal extending acrossand closing one end of said member, a second heat-seal joined to thefirst seal and extending at an acute angle to the first seal, saidsecond seal isolating a triangular area of one corner of said bag, saidisolated area being formed by folding the corner of the bag intooverlying relationship with the side thereof, and said second heat sealsealing the folded corner into engagement with the side, andhand-gripping means formed through the double thickness of materialbelow the second seal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,597 12/1963France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

Examiners. D. M, BOCKENEK, Assistant Examiner.

3. A PLASTIC BAG HAVING AN INTEGRAL HAND-CARRYING PORTION COMPRISING, AFLATTENED, TUBULAR PLASTIC MEMBER, A FIRST HEAT SEAL EXTENDING ACROSSAND CLOSING ONE END OF SAID MEMBER, A SECOND HEAT SEAL JOINED TO THEFIRST SEAL AND EXTENDING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE FIRST SEAL, SAIDSECOND SEAL ISOLATING A TRIANGULAR AREA OF ONE CORNER OF SAID BAG, ATHIRD HEAT SEAL EXTENDING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE FROM THE FIRST SEAL ANDFORMING A SECOND ISOLATED AREA IN THE OTHER CORNER OF SAID BAG, ANDHAND-GRIPPING MEANS FORMED IN EACH OF SAID ISOLATED AREAS WHEREBY A BAGIS FORMED HAVING TWO HAND-GRIPPING PORTIONS.